You've Been Hacked
by Katarena
Summary: "Do not say a word about this to anyone. If you do, we will find you, April O'Neil." She had told *three* people.
1. Chapter 1

**You've Been Hacked**

 **DISCLAIMER: I don't own anything. The blocks in italics are quotes from the film.**

" _Bam! You've been hacked by Donatello! Remember me? Turtle? Four eyes? But enough about me. We told you we'd find you. Meet us here and come alone, or...or else...or you shall be punished. Stop?"_

April stared at her laptop screen. She wasn't remotely surprised. They said they'd find her if she...

" _Do not say a word about this to anyone. If you do, we will find you, April O'Neil."_

Her blood suddenly turned to ice.

She had told _three_ people: Taylor, Vern and Bernadette. They hadn't believed her, but she'd still told them. Had the Turtles found out?

And now they had told her to come and meet them.

April may have been persistent in her attempts to get a story and she may have had little concern for her own safety at times, but the one thing she wasn't was stupid. Even she knew the dangers about meeting virtual strangers at secluded locations - particularly if said virtual strangers were armed and keen that their existence should remain a secret.

xxx

"It's been two hours, guys. I don't think she's coming."

"You mean she stood us up? Aww..."

"Told you we should've gone to her place."

"Do we actually _know_ her address?"

"...No, but we will if you give me an hour."

"Make it quick, Donnie. We have to find her before they do."

"Leo, you don't think...they got to her already? Whoever they are?"

"I hope not, Mikey. But if they haven't, we need to find her first."

 **To be continued…**


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

 **DISCLAIMER:** **I don't own anything.**

After ignoring Donatello's message and spending two hours mindlessly watching television, April decided to go food shopping.

When she was finished, she hurried across the street and towards her apartment. Should she put out an advertisement for a new flatmate tomorrow, or should she wait for a few days?

As she was considering this, she looked up and saw light coming from her windows.

April stopped dead, staring at the building. She hadn't left the lights on. In fact, she had deliberately turned them off when she went out.

The curtains were drawn, but they didn't hide the large, bulky shape that passed in front of the window.

They were in her apartment. The Turtles had tracked her down and they were _in her apartment_.

April's first thought was: _Thank God Taylor's moved out._ Her second thought was: _What am I going to do? I can't go back in there._

Everything she had was in her apartment. Her clothes, her laptop, _everything._ What could she do?

She could wait until she was certain they had left, then sneak back in, pack a bag and get out as fast as she could.

On the other hand, if the Turtles were half as intelligent as she thought they were - and they _were_ , if Donatello was anything to go by - they would put the apartment under some kind of surveillance and wait for her to come back.

April could still get internet on her phone. She had both cash and cards with her.

Turning her back, she hurried away as fast as she could, hoping that the Turtles wouldn't look out of the window and see her retreat.

 **To be continued…**


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

 **DISCLAIMER:** **I don't own anything.**

OK.

You're on the run. It's completely unexpected, but there you go.

You have your phone (no charger), your wallet, your favourite lipstick, the clothes you're wearing, a small pack of tissues, a bottle of milk, a loaf of bread, a jar of peanut butter, some strawberry yoghurt and no plan whatsoever.

Your pursuers are stronger and faster than you. They've been trained to fight. One of them is really intelligent and brilliant with technology. They have the advantage, and you know it.

Your ex-colleagues think you're crazy. Your flatmate moved out because she thinks you're completely out of your mind. You have a friend who _might_ help, but things are already awkward between the two of you. You don't want things getting more awkward by asking him if you can stay at his place for a bit, even though he would more than likely say yes.

It's evening. You've got nowhere to go and you can't risk going back to your flat.

To sum it up, you're in trouble.

...Wait. There is one person who could help you. She might not be able to, but it can't hurt to try. If this doesn't work, you'll find the nearest (and cheapest) motel.

Remember to turn off the phone later to save the battery.

"Hi, Irma? Know how you said if I ever annoyed someone dangerous with my reporting I could go to you for a hiding place? Did you mean that?"

 **To be continued…**


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

 **DISCLAIMER:** **I don't own anything.**

An hour or so later April was sitting on Irma's couch, hands wrapped thankfully around a warm mug of coffee.

Irma had remembered the way she liked it.

"Sooo...who exactly have you annoyed?" the other girl asked cautiously, twisting a strand of hair that had fallen out of her messy ponytail.

April didn't blame her for asking. If Irma was helping her 'disappear', she had a right to know just who April was hiding from. It was just that she couldn't exactly tell her the truth.

"It's not the Foot, is it?"

"No, no! It isn't!" Alarmed by the fear on her friend's face, April reached out to put a hand on her arm. "They're actually working against the Foot. At least, I think they are."

If April had found herself on the wrong side of the Foot, she would never have asked Irma for help.

"But that would make them the good guys. Wouldn't it?"

April squashed down the unpleasant niggle that Irma was right before continuing. "They're a vigilante group. I saw them right after the subway incident and they warned me not to tell anyone or they'd find me. I told three people: my boss, my flatmate and Vern - he's a cameraman I used to work with." Some part of April's mind warned her she'd forgotten something, but she didn't stop talking. "They hacked my computer and I _know_ I saw them in my apartment earlier."

"And you need a place to hide until they forget about you." Before April could say anything, Irma smiled warmly. "Of course I'll help. What are friends for?"

 **To be continued…**


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

 **DISCLAIMER:** **I don't own anything.**

April spend the night safely hidden in Irma's spare bedroom, snuggled under a warm duvet. She had only just woken up when she heard a frantic knock on the door.

Irma didn't wait for an answer before entering. "I've just had a horrible thought. Do you still have your phone?"

"Yeah. It's not switched on, though. I need to save battery."

"Keep it switched off. If they hacked your computer and found out where you live, they can track your phone."

April stared at her friend in horror.

Donatello had hacked her computer. She was certain he'd been the one to locate her apartment. He'd physically handled her phone; it would have been easy to locate the number. What else was he capable of?

What exactly were the _Turtles_ capable of? They had weapons and it didn't look like they'd have trouble using them. She remembered the way Raphael had held his knife, the way it had glinted in the light.

Now she'd gotten Irma involved in this.

 _What have I done?_

xxx

"What do ya _mean_ , ya can't track it?"

Donnie fought the urge to roll his eyes. "Raph, I can't track the phone's signal if there is no signal, and there is no signal because it _isn't turned on_."

"But you're the techno-geek. You've gotta be able to do something."

"I can't do everything, Raph." Don folded his arms. "Why are we trying to find April, anyway? And how did Sensei know she'd be in danger?"

"Dudes!" Mikey bounded between them, eyes darting from one brother to the next. "I've got an idea. Remember when we were in April's flat and that girl left a message on the phone?"

"Yeah...is her name Tanya?"

"Taylor," Raph growled.

"She said she lost a necklace and thinks it's still in the flat. Get this: she's coming over today to look for it. If she knows April, maybe she can help find her!"

"That's not a bad idea." Ignoring Don and Raph's stunned expressions (because since when did _Mikey_ have a good idea?) Leo added: "But we'll have to be _very_ careful."

 **To be continued…**


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

 **DISCLAIMER:** **I don't own anything.**

They had decided to keep the spare key under the doormat.

OK, it wasn't the safest place but it was the only place they could put it if one or both of them got locked out.

Taylor unlocked the door and called out: "Hey, April? It's me!"

Nobody answered. Taylor shrugged, dumped her handbag on the floor and went to her bedroom (or, more accurately, the room that had been her bedroom) to look for her necklace. It was a ruby pendant, the last birthday present Taylor's grandmother had given her before she died.

It was exactly where she thought she had left it: inside the little dresser. Taylor sighed with relief as she fastened it around her neck.

She was just about to pick up her handbag when the phone rang. Taylor straightened up and turned around, looking at where the phone sat on its charger.

Maybe it was the way the phone somehow sounded urgent, or the way it somehow echoed in the silent flat.

"Hello?"

"Hi, is April there?"

"No she isn't. I'm Taylor, I'm a...friend of April's. Can I help at all?" she asked out of politeness.

"Actually, I think you can. My name's Leo. I was supposed to meet April, but she never turned up and she isn't answering her cell."

Taylor frowned. "That's...funny. I've never known her _not_ to answer her cell." _April_ _ **has**_ _been acting weird lately. I mean,_ _ **really**_ _weird._ She looked at the phone and saw what must have been Leo's number. "You know, I know where she works. Shall I pop in and remind her about you? The office should still be open and she doesn't come home until late."

 **To be continued…**


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7  
**

 **DISCLAIMER:** **I don't own anything.**

"Hi there!" Taylor smiled brightly at the receptionist.

"Do you have an appointment with somebody?"

"Uh, no." Taylor was beginning to feel a little embarrassed. "Can I talk to April O'Neil, please? My name's Taylor Monroe. She'll know who I am."

"Hold on." The receptionist pressed some buttons on her phone and waited for a few moments. "I'm sorry, Miss O'Neil doesn't work for Channel 6 any more."

"What? Since when?"

"Since two days ago. I'm sorry your time's been wasted, miss."

Taylor left the Channel 6 building, her head in a whirl. Why would April quit a job she was so dedicated to, a job that she loved?

 _What if she's been telling her colleagues what she told me? That story about the vigilantes being her pets? Nobody would believe that._

What if somebody _had_ believed her?

Taylor had read articles about the 'subway incident', including eyewitness accounts of shadowy figures attacking members of the Foot clan. What if April had told the wrong person she knew the vigilantes, pets or not?

Taylor sat on the nearest bench, dialled a number and waited for a response.

 _Please let it be the right one..._

"Yeah? Who's this?" The voice was tense, rough and suspicious. Taylor swallowed.

"I'm Taylor. Can I talk to Leo, please?"

"Taylor? _April's_ friend Taylor? How'd you remember the number?"

"I've got an eidetic memory. Look, April isn't at Channel 6 any more. Has Leo tried calling her again?"

"Her phone's been off since last evenin'."

Taylor looked anxiously around her, just to check nobody was listening, before saying nervously: "Is...is April in some kind of trouble?"

 **To be continued…**


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

 **DISCLAIMER:** **I don't own anything.**

You're on the run.

You never thought it would happen to you. You've done nothing illegal. You're not even on the run from the _law_ , for God's sake!

As the day goes on, you sit on the sofa watching mindless TV and waiting for the hours to go by. It's not like you've got anything better to do. If they hacked your laptop, they can hack Irma's. You're not taking that chance. You haven't checked your emails in over twenty-four hours - something you haven't done for months.

Once, you're seized by a desperate urge to call your mom. Just a quick one, just to say hi. But then you remember that you can't turn on your cell.

Blue sky slowly changes to a blanket of gold. Buildings transform into black silouettes. The water shimmers, reflecting the light from the heavens.

It's beautiful.

You've never truly appreciated a New York sunset before.

When the sky completely darkens into night, you get up and draw the curtains, shutting out the world. Irma doesn't mind. She smiles reassuringly at you, but you can see the anxiety in her eyes.

In a voice that is far too bright, she suggests ordering pizza.

You remember feeding _them_ pizza when you were a little girl.

You also remember that you loved them. You loved them, and now they're hunting you.

Well, they're not going to find you.

 **To be continued…**


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

 **DISCLAIMER:** **I don't own anything.**

The next time Taylor tried calling April's friend Leo, she ended up talking to someone called Don.

"Just how many of you are there?" she asked.

"Uh..four. Well, technically there are five of us, but..."

"I was thinking we should file a missing persons report."

"No, no no no, bad idea. Really bad idea, Taylor!"

Taylor huffed. She was in Central Park, watching the clouds drift across the lake's surface. "Well, do you have any better ideas, smart guy?" She wasn't normally this rude to people she'd only just met (or in this case, talked to), but she was beginning to feel frustrated as well as worried. "I can't call her family! We were supposed to leave emergency contact numbers with the landlord, only April never did. I checked. April's dad died when she was a kid and she's never even _talked_ about her mom."

She got up from the bench. "Tell you what - I'll call in on the apartment one more time tonight. If there's no sign of her, I'll call you."

What was she doing? She should get the police involved - why was she putting her trust in these people? And why had Don thought reporting April missing was a bad idea?

Taylor didn't know what was going on, but she didn't like it at all.

xxx

"Has April turned her cell on?" Leo asked.

Don shook his head, the ends of his mask flipping from one shoulder to the other. "Nope. And she hasn't checked her emails either."

"Dude...you found her email address?"

"Well, yeah, Mikey, it was simple. All I had to do was hack into her work record at the Daily Planet. Both her work and personal emails are registered on the system, so..."

Don suddenly stopped talking. His eyes widened and his jaw dropped. "...The system. Security systems! CCTV! _Why didn't I think of that?_ "

He sprang up and bolted towards his computer. "If April left her apartment, she'll have been walking around. And if she was walking around, she'll be showing up on cameras."

"Can you track her movements?" Leo came to stand by him, looking over his shoulder. Raph and Mikey quickly joined them.

Don's fingers flew over the keyboard. "You just watch me."

 **To be continued…**


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

 **DISCLAIMER:** **I don't own anything.**

"OK. So this is April about two hours after getting my message." Don pointed at one of the many screens behind his desk. "She goes out and then twenty, twenty-five minutes later comes back, but she doesn't go into the flat. She's just standing there."

"What's she looking at?" Leo peered at the motionless figure standing alone on the street.

"Hold on." Don paused the footage and pointed at the small date on the bottom right of the screen. "That's when we were in her apartment. We had to turn the light on..."

"No, we didn't. _Mikey_ turned on the light before we realised she wasn't there," growled Raph.

"She saw us. She knows we were at her place. That's why she hasn't come back. Donnie, what happened next?" Leo demanded. "Did you track where she went after that?"

"Yeah. April walked away and the next time she showed up on the cameras, she was on her cell. Now look here. She goes into a subway tunnel..." Don showed his brothers a video of the slight figure heading into the shadows of the tunnel. "...then she disappears for a bit."

"When does she come out?"

"I'm getting to that, Leo. This is the Rockefeller entrance."

A girl was standing at the entrance of the subway, looking at her watch. The turtles couldn't see her face due to her mass of curly hair. April emerged from the subway, walked straight up to the girl and hugged her. Then the two girls walked off together and got into the first taxi that stopped for them.

"Who's that?" Leo asked.

"I don't know. I can't track her down if I can't see her face. But April definitely hasn't gone back to her apartment, so my guess is she's with this girl."

"Dudes, April's running away from _us_." Leo, Don and Raph all looked at Mikey. "We threatened the chick when we first met her - remember? She thinks we're coming to _get_ her."

 **To be continued…**


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

 **DISCLAIMER:** **I don't own anything.**

"I give up, guys!" Don cried, swivelling his chair around. "Her phone's off. I hacked her email too; there are over _thirty_ unopened messages. How can we tell April we're not going to hurt her if we can't even contact her? How do we know _they_ haven't found her?"

Raph shouldered his way past Leo and pointed at the second figure on the screen. "It's obvious, genius. Her. April's with that girl, whoever she is. Find her, we find April."

Don whirled back around; his fingers scrabbled over the computer keys. "OK. I'll see if I can get the license plate of that taxi and a picture of the other girl's face."

"If anyone can do it, Donnie, it's you." Leo clapped him on the shoulder.

xxx

The apartment was definitely colder than before. Taylor was certain April hadn't come back, because there was mouldy bread in the cupboard and a carton of milk that was almost empty, with the previous day as an expiry date.

"Where are you, April?" she groaned. She was seriously thinking about ignoring what Don had said and calling the police anyway. A missing persons report should be filed about twenty-four hours after their disappearance.

It had been a lot longer than twenty-four hours.

She decided to rummage in April's room, to see if there was some clue to her disappearance.

Taylor pulled open April's desk drawer to see a pile of photos. She pulled them out, sat on April's bed and began to rifle through them. The first was of an unusual symbol painted on what looked like a cargo container.

 _Hold on. She told me about this._

Another picture was of a large bulky figure in the distance, frozen in mid-jump. It must be one of those vigilantes - but how could he move quickly and quietly with that on his back.

Then Taylor had a horrifying thought. What if April had been telling people she knew who the vigilantes were _and the vigilantes heard about it?_ Taylor was willing to bet they wouldn't want their identities to become public knowledge, particularly because of someone whose job it was - had been - to _make_ things public knowledge.

They clearly weren't afraid of the Foot. There was no way they'd be scared of taking on someone like April.

...Tapes. April had been looking at tapes. If the pictures hadn't been moved, the tapes wouldn't be either. Where had April put them?

Taylor was almost beginning to feel excited. No - she _was_ getting excited. It was a good thing her mother couldn't see her right now; she'd think Taylor was crazy.

 **To be continued…**


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12**

 **DISCLAIMER:** **I don't own anything.**

Project Renaissance. That would explain the names of the four baby turtles. And they were absolutely _adorable!_

Taylor sat cross-legged on the floor, tapes scattered around her like dominos, her hands tightly clutching April's tiny recorder.

 _I'm guessing the rat was the test case; that's probably why they didn't give him a Renaissance name. Anything goes wrong with him, they won't proceed to the baby turtles or they'll know what not to do with them. They're what's really important in this._

April clearly hadn't known that. She was too busy feeding pizza to the test subjects, which they ate eagerly. Even though they were tiny, they were very strong: one of them headbutted the case it was kept in and cracked the glass.

Taylor really didn't like it when things being tested on animals. But against her will, she was fascinated.

Wait. That was Eric Sacks from Sacks Industries. April hadn't told Taylor that she knew _Eric Sacks._

She wanted to keep watching the videos, but she really should call Leo.

"What's up, April's friend?"

Taylor was taken aback by the playful and energetic voice that answered. This one sounded young, younger than the others. "I'm fine, how are you? Can I talk to Leo, please? Or Don, or Ralph, I don't think it really matters."

"His name's Raph and you have the honour of speaking to the one and only..."

"MIKEY! Gimme the damn phone!"

There was a brief commotion on the other end of the line, closely followed by a yelp of pain and Raph's voice. Taylor was glad he hadn't answered the phone; she hated getting people's names wrong.

"Taylor?"

"Yeah, hi. I've been back to the apartment and she's still not there. I don't know what else we can do, other than get someone else involved."

"We can't."

"Why not? April might be in really big trouble!"

"She _is_ in really big trouble! Why do ya think we wanted to meet her in the first place?"

Taylor wasn't listening. Her gaze had fallen on the recorder and she couldn't look away from the picture. She had rewound the tape and paused it on one of the baby turtles, the one who had cracked the glass. Hand trembling, she picked up the recorder.

Leonardo. Raphael. Donatello. Michelangelo.

Leo. Raph. Don. Mikey.

"You know, um..." Taylor fought to keep her voice casual even as her blood began to grow cold, "you didn't tell me what your last name was. Are you guys all related?"

"Does it matter?"

"No, just curious. I mean, you sounded like you were from the way you were fighting with Mikey, that's the way me and my sister get sometimes."

"We're brothers."

" _Just how many of you are there?"_

" _Uh..four. Well, technically there are five of us, but..."_

Taylor couldn't move. She tried telling herself it wasn't possible, but one thought kept forcing its way into her head. They were real. April was right; they were _real_.

She heard glass shatter.

 **To be continued…**


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13**

 **DISCLAIMER:** **I don't own anything.**

"Where is she?"

Taylor swallowed and forced herself to meet the stranger's eyes - or at least, where they were in the mask he was wearing. "She's not here."

"Where is she?" He started forwards, and Taylor jumped.

"I told you, she's not here. I _swear_. She's disappeared."

"She ain't lyin'." That was another of the men in black. "Place is deserted, hasn't been lived in for days."

"So what are _you_ doing here?" Taylor's captor leaned over her, flexing his finger. He had a handgun at his side; Taylor's eyes kept falling on it.

"I...I used to be her flatmate, but I moved out. I just came back to find my necklace." Taylor reached up to touch her grandmother's ruby, thanking God she hadn't taken it off since finding it. She hadn't seen their faces. If she hadn't seen their faces, there was a good chance they might let her go.

"The girl was given that tracking chip when she paid S a call, right?" a third man asked. "All we gotta do is get him to activate it."

"That's not all. This one knows O'Neil - she's coming with us."

Taylor couldn't restrain a sob of terror as a blindfold was tied over her eyes and her arms were yanked roughly behind her back. Just as one of them was beginning to tie her hands, a sharp sound of metal scraping against metal made everyone freeze.

It was a blade being drawn.

"What the..."

xxx

"Taylor?"

Taylor swam out of unconsciousness. There was something over her eyes, keeping them closed.

The blindfold.

Taylor cried out and grabbed at the material with her hands.

"It's OK, Taylor."

She froze. That was Leo's - no, _Leonardo's_ voice. Were they all here? And where was she? "Where am I?" She could hear her voice tremble. An unpleasant smell hit her nose and she almost wrinkled it in disgust.

"You're back at our place." Raphael. "We weren't gonna leave ya in that flat like that, so we took you with us."

"We're not going to hurt you, Taylor. I promise," Leo said. "You're safe. But we'd like you to keep the blindfold on for the time being."

"Aw, come on, Leo," protested Michelangelo. "April saw us - why can't this chick?"

"Yeah, and remember how well _she_ took it?" Raphael growled.

"Please, I..." Taylor swallowed again and said: "I'd like to take it off. Please." When there was no reply, she raised her hands and fumbled with the knot until the material loosened and fell to the floor.

She took a deep breath and opened her eyes.

 **To be continued…**


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14**

 **DISCLAIMER:** **I don't own anything.**

April was bored. Scared. And above all, she was restless.

Her job required her to be outside and on her feet just as much as it needed her to be in front of a computer screen or a microphone. That was why it was called investigative journalism.

Being indoors and watching television all the time was starting to drive her mad.

Irma hadn't been able to get time off work at short notice, much to her disgust; she insisted that April text her every hour, on the hour, just to make sure everything was OK. April's phone was still turned off, so the girls had arranged a secret signal in case Irma needed to contact her.

Irma had given her friend permission to use her laptop, which was helpful, but the temptation to check her email was almost maddening. She didn't want to take any chances in case Donatello had hacked her account and was monitoring it.

April walked over to the window and leaned her forehead on the glass, staring out at the city below her.

She wanted to _get out_.

xxx

Taylor's teeth were chattering. She was still kneeling on the floor; her legs were chilled through her jeans.

"Whoa, hey, are you cold?" Michelangelo - Mikey - asked. "Do you want a blanket or something?"

"That's not cold, Mikey, that's shock." Taylor recognised Donnie's voice. "But I think she could definitely do with a blanket."

 _They're not going to do anything,_ she told herself. _If they were going to, they'd have done it by now or they would have finished me off when they had the chance._

The largest one moved slightly in her direction and Taylor tensed, shooting him a look that was half-terror and half-aggression. He seemed to get the message; he backed away with both of his hands raised.

"Take it easy," he growled. "We ain't gonna hurt ya."

Taylor wanted to tell him that it wasn't that, that she was naturally uneasy around intimidating guys and Raphael was nothing short of terrifying, giant turtle or otherwise, but before she could say anything something soft was draped around her shoulders. She instinctively wrapped herself in the blanket. "Th-thank you," she stammered.

She didn't resist as Donnie helped her get to her feet and moved her towards what looked like a couch. The turtles moved aside and Taylor's gaze fell on the figure emerging from the shadows.

She knew his name from April's tapes.

 _Splinter._

xxx

The main phone rang twice, paused for fifteen seconds, then rang again.

April rushed over and picked it up. "Irma?"

"...April? I think we've got a problem."

 **To be continued…**


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15**

 **DISCLAIMER:** **I don't own anything.**

"What kind of problem? What's wrong?"

Irma suddenly started talking quietly. "There's this man hanging around the entrance. I haven't ever seen him around here before. I don't know who he is or what he wants, but something about him feels _wrong_."

"Are there any cars around? Any _unfamiliar_ cars?"

Irma's voice wavered. "Yes. A large black one. I was in the lobby when I saw it; I don't think anyone's seen _me_."

It might have been nothing. It might have been someone just waiting to meet somebody else. But April had learned to trust her instincts; her talent for finding things out was why she had become a journalist in the first place.

Right now, her instincts were _screaming_ at her. She'd wanted to get out. Now she'd have to.

"OK. Is there any way I could get out of here without being seen? A back entrance, a fire escape?"

"There's a fire escape and...wait. There's the place the laundry company comes to collect the linen every Friday. The door might be unlocked for them. I'll check nobody's waiting there."

April understood. If someone was watching the front, they might be watching the back.

The next few seconds seemed to pass like years, but eventually Irma said: "No. I can't see anyone. OK, go down the main stairs but don't go to the lobby. There's a door that says _Staff Only_ ; go through that and walk right to the back. There's a door."

April hung up, hurried back through to Irma's spare bedroom, grabbed her phone and a jacket and left the flat, but not before checking to see if someone was waiting just outside the door.

She didn't remember going down the stairs or through the Staff Only door, but somehow she found herself in front of the door Irma had mentioned. Taking a deep breath, she clutched the cold metal handle and pushed it open.

xxx

"So April...saved you?"

Somehow, someday, this was going to make sense to Taylor. She felt a little less chilled now, but she still clutched the blanket like a protective shield. Judging from the texture, it was definitely handknitted. "Is that why she's in danger?"

She couldn't believe the Turtles - why was she thinking of them with a capital 'T' now? - were only teenagers. If they looked like this now, what would they be like as actual adults?

"The same man who killed her father is planning to kill her," Splinter said gravely. "He discovered the truth about the laboratory."

"April met up with this girl." Donatello came up to Taylor and held out a grainy picture. "I know you can't see her face, but do you have any idea who she is?"

Taylor chose not to ask just how he'd got hold of the picture in the first place and focused on the girl.

She remembered going out for coffee with April and meeting up with a friend of hers, completely by accident. Like the girl in the picture, she had dark curly hair and was wearing that _exact same sweater_.

Taylor even remembered her name.

 **To be continued…**


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

 **DISCLAIMER:** **I don't own anything.**

 _Taylor_

"That's her. That's definitely her."

It had taken Taylor three attempts to spell Irma Langinstein's surname right, but she'd finally managed it. She pointed at the image on the screen.

Just how many computers did Don _have?_

"How long will it take to find out where Irma lives?" she asked.

Raph snorted. "We got Donnie and the internet. Three minutes, max."

"Guys, even if it does take me three minutes to locate her place, we can't exactly knock on the front door."

The lair fell uncomfortably silent. Don did have a point.

"No," Leo replied. "But Taylor can. And if she's not there, we try Plan B and track her cellphone."

Taylor was suddenly very glad the Turtles were fighting against the Foot and not with them.

Leo looked down at her. "You're going to help us, aren't you?"

"Absolutely." Taylor wouldn't have turned back even if she'd wanted to.

xxx

 _April_

April collapsed against the nearest wall, panting heavily and trying to draw as much air into her lungs as possible. Irma wasn't doing much better.

"What now?" April asked as soon as she was able to talk coherently.

"I don't know." They'd chosen to head into a public area rather than go down the back streets. There was a greater chance of ambush or attack in a silent street; April knew that well enough from her journalism courses. "You've still got your purse, right?"

"Yeah."

"How much money have you got?" Irma asked.

"About fifty dollars cash."

"That won't be enough."

"Enough for what?"

Irma looked around her before going to stand closer to her friend. "Look, this is extreme, but they know you're in the city, right? If they can't find you, what are the odds they're going to give up?"

April frowned. She wasn't sure she had an answer.

"Remember my sister? She's got a spare flat in Abbeville, she says I'm free to use it whenever I need. I know," Irma said quickly as April's eyes widened, "it's extreme, but I really didn't like the look of that car."

Even as April nodded, she couldn't shake the feeling something else about the car was wrong. She just had no idea what it was.

 **To be continued…**


End file.
